Affordable tropical destination

Recently, Travel+Leisure, a prestigious US travel magazine with over 16 million readers, listed Viet Nam’s Pearl Island, Phu Quoc, as one of the "most affordable tropical destinations in the world".

Other famous places on the list include the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatan, Indonesia’s Bali and Jamaica’s Negril.

According to the magazine, many visitors do not hesitate to take connecting flights to reach the paradise island of Phu Quoc because the experience at 'Pearl Island' is worth much more than the cost and time spent by visitors.

Accommodation costs in Phu Quoc are not expensive, as the island offers luxurious resorts as well as budget hotels, making it easy for tourists to find a place that suits their budget and preferences.

Phu Quoc also boasts countless attractive recreational activities, from exploring some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, including Sao Beach and Kem Beach, to visiting Phu Quoc National Park. This impressive tropical ecosystem is home to hundreds of rare flora and fauna.

Overview of Sunset Town

One of the strengths of Phu Quoc that few places can match is its super entertainment complexes with extremely reasonable costs, offering tourists a week’s worth of enjoyable experiences.

Notable among them is Sunset Town, featuring a host of attractions: The Kiss Bridge - a new tourism icon praised by CNN, the beachfront night market Vui Phet, the A Oi puppet theatre and the Kiss of the Sea - a world-leading multimedia art performance combined with nightly fireworks shows.

The Kiss Bridge - a new tourism icon praised by CNN

To optimise the vacations of tourists, Sun Group is introducing attractive programmes and incentives for guests staying at Kem Beach and enjoying Sunset Town.

Guests staying at resorts, including JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort, New World Phu Quoc Resort and La Festa Phu Quoc Curio Collection by Hilton, will be presented with tickets to the Kiss of the Sea show. Visitors purchasing tickets to experience Sun World Hon Thom will also receive tickets to visit the Kiss Bridge.

Phu Quoc – A favourite of international tourists

The Korean Economic Times has recognised Phu Quoc as one of the most typical healing destinations in Southeast Asia, with the leading growth rates in the first four months of the year surpassing even Chiang Mai and Bali.

The newspaper also highlighted that Phu Quoc is emerging as a long-stay destination. It is the only place in Viet Nam offering a 30-day visa exemption for international visitors.

Tourism expert Lee Chae-Hyeon shared on AsiaA that the reasons why South Korea’s visitors fall in love with Phu Quoc are white sandy, blue sea, warm tropical climate year-round, with an average temperature of only 27 degrees Celsius.

“It only takes five hours for Korean tourists to fly from winter to summer when arriving in Phu Quoc,” the newspaper wrote.

In the first quarter of 2024, Phu Quoc recorded more than 500,000 international arrivals, representing a year-on-year increase of over 200 per cent, with the majority coming from Taiwan (China) and South Korea.

In just the first four months of the year, 221,657 South Korean visitors to Pearl Island were recorded, marking a year-on-year rise of 165 per cent. Meanwhile, Taiwanese visitors grew by an astounding 1,100 per cent with 82,135 arrivals.

Currently, Korean airlines, including Jeju Air, Korean Air and Jin Air, have direct flights to the island. Meanwhile, Taiwanese low-cost airline TigerAir has also begun operating a new direct route between Taoyuan and Phu Quoc. These favourable conditions help attract more tourists from South Korea and Taiwan (China) to the island.

With its special visa policy, Phu Quoc currently has a significant advantage, offering visa exemptions for tourists with a stay of no more than 30 days.

According to experts at the conference announcing Phu Quoc's planning project for 2040, the island could welcome 14.6 million tourists.

The vision for the island city is to become an unmissable destination, competing with major tourist centres in Asia, including Phuket and Bali. It highlights the growth of Phu Quoc, showcasing the island's beauty and appeal, and indicating positive prospects for the tourism industry in Viet Nam.